The book is a reference guide that gives basic dog breed facts along with a few words of wisdom from rescue workers about what you really need to know about each breed before making the commitment to adopt.  Special dogs of each featured breed were selected by their respective rescue groups to be featured in the book.   Each dog’s compelling personal story of rescue is accompanied by a high-impact photo that is sure to tug at your heart-strings.  A directory of the participating Phoenix area rescue groups is also included.

It is a hard-cover, full color, 80 page book with vivid photos and premium paper.  Below are a few sample pages.

Click Here to watch a promo video.Retail cost is $39.95. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the PACC 911 Emergency Medical Fund. This fund provides financial aid to non-profit animal welfare groups needing assistance with special medical costs. Click here for more details.

On Sale Now for $19.95! That’s HALF off the regular price.

**Please note that there is an error on page 73. Shy-Low Bleu the Shetland Sheepdog was rescued by Mid-Arizona Shetland Sheepdog Club Rescue and not the Arizona Sheltie Rescue.

I just wrapped up the last photo page and just had to share!!! These puppies were born to one of the moms that the Arizona Basset Hound Rescue recently took in from a puppy mill. Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve ever seen…

I haven’t forgotten about all of you Basset Hound calendar folks. I am sooooooo sorry for the delay. Stay tuned all next week for the rest of the 2010 AZBHR calendar pages.

Cita was on death row in the county shelter in Los Angeles, CA.  A concerned Akita lover alerted Akita Advocates that she was about to be euthanized. Luckily, they had room to take her in as a foster. They quickly sprang into action and arranged for her transportation to Phoenix.  She was an older girl, thought to be approximately seven or eight years old. She was brought to many adoption events but was always overlooked because of her age. Most people in the market for a new pet aren’t interested in dogs that are over five years old. While working at one of the events, a volunteer for the rescue group fell in love with her. She has always been fond of the older and more settled dogs. She ended up adopting Cita but was finding it difficult to teach her basic commands, until one day when she discovered that Cita spoke Spanish. Once this was discovered, she found that Cita was already very well trained!  About three years ago, Cita was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has gone through three surgeries to remove the disease and she’s still going strong. Cita is living proof that with good medical care and a lot of love, even an old dog can beat the odds and remain a faithful companion for many years.

Mitsu’s Story:

Mitsu was turned in to the shelter by her family because they could not care for her anymore. At the time, the shelter was not allowing Akitas to be adopted by the general public as they thought they were too aggressive, and thus a liability. Mitsu would have been euthanized if Akita Advocates had not rescued her. Mitsu is a kind and gentle soul, but at approximately five years old, she was a little older than most people are looking for. Soon after she entered foster care, she started having seizures. She was given immediate medical attention and went through testing but no real cause for the seizures could be found. It was determined that they were being caused by the severe amount of stress that she was experiencing due to the recent changes in her life. This further reduced her chances of finding a family to adopt her and again, potential adopters passed her over because of her medical issues. The Akita Rescue’s founder, who was fostering Mitsu, decided to adopt her.  She has adapted well to her new stable home environment and as the level of stress in her life began to diminish, so did the number of seizures that she was experiencing. Mitsu gets along with many of the dogs who come through her new home as rescues and fosters, as if she is saying “I’ve been homeless myself… Don’t stress. You too will find your forever home”.

Akita Advocates Relocation Team

Primary Breeds:       Akitas and Akita Mixes

Address:                 P.O.Box 12016, Glendale, AZ   85318-2016 

Phone:                    602-882-5482  (message line)

Contact:                  Deb Harlow or Carol Harris

Website:                 www.AkitaAdvocates.com

E-Mail:                    AkitaAdvocates@cox.net

We rescue Akitas from shelters that are in danger of being euthanized, simply because someone does not want them.   We have been providing rescue services since 2004 and have saved over 300 dogs in that time.  Most are fostered or boarded until their forever homes can be found.

Foster-home based, non-profit organization founded in 2005.  Our Mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home unwanted pets to fur-ever families!

 The small county shelter did not have the capacity to house them and were skeptical that they could find homes for all eight of them. The eldest five were placed on the euthanasia list immediately. Once the Dachshunds Only Rescue was made aware of the situation, they immediately made room for the three oldest dogs. The other two were taken in by another rescue group.  

The Doxies were all given a Distemper/Parvo vaccine, which was apparently their first. Ten days later, they started showing symptoms of distemper. A trip to the vet confirmed that they were indeed infected with the disease. The distemper survival rate is very low and those that are lucky enough to survive are commonly left with severe neurological damage. Since Dachshunds Only Rescue is a never kill shelter, they started immediate and aggressive treatment. They also closed down for six weeks while they quarantined all the other dogs at their rescue. After 5 months of treatment, quarantine, and observation, he is a normal, happy and healthy Dachshund that is finally available to find his forever loving home.

Dachshunds Only Rescue

Phone:                    602-550-4088                               

Website:                 www.dachshundsonlyrescue.com

E-Mail:                    dachshundsonlyrescue@gmail.com

 Dachshunds Only Rescue believes that there is a right home for every dachshund. We are committed to finding each and every displaced doxie their forever loving home. We are a never-kill shelter providing a safe haven for our rescues until that objective can be met.

Radar was turned in as a stray to the Arizona Humane Society. The Humane Society then contacted the Arizona Boston Terrier Rescue to ask for assistance because he had health issues that required special assistance.

He has glaucoma that was left untreated and both eyes were bulging when he was turned in.  His right eye has shown some improvement but unfortunately, the left eye could not be saved. He was not neutered when he was found, and it is believed that he was likely used as a breeding dog for a backyard operation.

Radar’s foster mom couldn’t part with him and ended up adopting him. He has adapted quite well to his new home and to his vision impairment. His dog-mom says that he does bump into things but as long as she doesn’t move the furniture, he gets around just fine. Radar loves to nap, which has earned him the nickname of “Radar the Restful”.

Annebell’s Story

When Annebell (Annie) was picked up as a stray, she was immediately placed on the shelter’s euthanasia list due to her health condition. She was emaciated at only a mere 10 lbs.  She also had a severe case of D-mange and most of her hair was lost. She was dirty and smelled of garbage and feces.

ABTR immediately got her veterinary care and started her on a regimen of antibiotics and medicated baths. Despite such efforts to keep her well, she developed a secondary bacterial skin infection and her remaining hair was lost.  Upon treating this infection, it was discovered that she had a severe uterine infection and she was pregnant. Her pregnancy had to be terminated and she was spayed right away.

After only one night at the vet, she emerged as a totally different dog. She had gone in, a listless, weak, very mellow girl and came out like a little firecracker.  She rarely stops moving, chases anything that moves. She is a diligent watchdog and makes her foster mom laugh every day. She will soon be adopted by a couple who have a home in AZ and in Canada,where they do rescue for Canadian Boston Terrier Rescue.  She now weighs in at 15 lbs. and has a soft coat of fuzzy fur.  She has been a joy to both her foster families and she will be very missed by them.

Arizona Boston Terrier Rescue (formerly Valley of the Sun Boston Terrier Rescue) has been actively rescuing needy Boston Terriers since 1975. The purpose and main function of Arizona Boston Terrier Rescue (AZBTR) is to promote humane treatment through rescue, rehabilitation, education and the re-homing of neglected, abandoned and unwanted Boston Terriers.

You can reach the Arizona Boston Terrier Rescue by phone at 602-225-7800, by e-mail at AZBTRescue@Hotmail.com or you can visit their website at www.AZBTRescue.org.

Normally they don’t allow former owners to know where there dogs are, but in this case, the adopter is a good friend of a good friend of the former owners. So they know where Lugar is and how he is doing. They receive emails and photos because of the friendship. 

Lugar is a giant ,that through no real fault of his own, needed a new home for his senior years.  More commonly right now, the rescue group is seeing surrenders due to the downturn in the economy. Previously, it was usually due to lack of attention, lack of training, or lack of knowledge of the breed when owners made the commitment to take a Giant in their household.  This is a very smart breed, and one who wants to be with their humans.  They are oftentimes called Velcro dogs for this very reason.  They need direction.  Typically when they come into rescue, they need to learn boundaries as they were never taught those.  Because they are smart, they will try to run the household. They need to learn that the human is the alpha in the household.

Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue says that teaching them that the human is the alpha is done by making them sit before they get fed or before before they go through a door. When they want attention, make them sit prior to giving it so that they know the human controls the situation – not the Giant.  And when the human is done, let the Giant know you’re done and to go lay down.  If you give in and continue petting, the Giant has won the battle.” Giants are a very intelligent breed.  They must be socialized, trained, and exercised.  The owner MUST understand that the human is in charge or the dog will be in charge.  Giants must have a job of some sort, even if only protecting his/her family. They do not do well at all being crated for eight hours and then getting NO exercise.  Some giants do not get along with other breeds or small dogs.  It is all a part of the socializing that must be done from the earliest puppy stages.  A small alpha dog will NOT do well with an alpha giant of the same sex and maybe not a giant at all.  Sometimes same sex giants will fight if the owner is not aware of the training involved and of being the alpha in the house.  Giants are not a dog for everyone.  They can open cabinet doors, counter surf, and open exterior doors. They are trainable but not always on human time… it’s on giant time.  They know what the human wants, but the human has to learn to make the giant want to follow the command.  They do love children but will not tolerate a young child poking them.  Giants will also knock smaller children (and adults) down when they get the rips and run.  They don’t always watch to see if a human is in the way when ripping and running.

Lugar is now in a new home with a family that just adores him. His new dog-dad Steve brought him in for his photo session. I was thoroughly impressed Steve’s “loving disciplinary” manner with Lugar. Lugar is a very well trained dog that obviously respects his dad very much. It was a pleasure to meet them both.

Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue began in 2002 with a cluster of people who connected via the Internet and with the encouragement of the local Miniature Schnauzer Group. Their little group expanded as more Giant Schnauzer owners became involved and gave of their time. They are all interested in educating people about Giant Schnauzers and saving as many Giants as we can. Their dogs are vet checked, micro chipped and fostered to discover their habits. Then they look for suitable homes to match each individual dog. They are very proud of our group, and they volunteer their time out of love of the breed. VSGSR was incorporated in December 2003 and achieved 501(c)(3) status in April of 2004.

You can reach the Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue by phone at 602-212-6775, by email at phxgsrescue@hotmail.com or you can visit their website at www.vsgiantschnauzerrescue.org.

Aussies come in two acceptable colors, solid and merle. When merle to merle breeding is done, approximately 25% of the litter may show signs of deafness, blindness or a combination of the two. The defects can range from minor vision and hearing loss to complete deafness and blindness. Double merles can also be born without eyes or with eyes that have failed to develop properly. The term “lethal white” in reference to Aussies stems from the fact that these dogs have historically been destroyed at birth due to their impairments.

I was so impressed with these dogs!! They don’t call them “Amazing Aussies” for nothing!  They walked into my backyard and then into my studio like they owned the place. I was in awe at how they just sensed where things were and what was going on. They could even smell where the water bowl was. Seriously… how good of a nose must a dog have to be able to smell water. Oh, and trust me, they could definitely smell where the treats were hidden. They found those in seconds flat. They were incrediby affectionate and sweet. And did I mention that they are both available for adoption??

Here’s a little more info on Lars and Kayla that was provided by Amazing Aussies…

Lars is one of our “special” special needs dogs. Lars and his three siblings were born under a house. Their mom did the best she could to keep her babies safe by digging a den under the house for protection. His parents were both Blue Merle Aussies so the litter was the result of a double Merle breeding which can result in puppies that are deaf and blind. Lars was born both deaf and vision impaired. His three brothers and sisters found homes and he was left with his Mom and Dad and quite a few other dogs outside – a big barrel of dry dog food and a dish of dirty water. Thankfully, a concerned neighbor that adopted Lars’ brother and sister, heard the owners were thinking of “doing away” with the white puppy. She posted an ad on Craigslist asking for help and that is when Amazing Aussies got involved. We went the next day to pick up Lars. He was filthy, malnourished and had parasites. With some medicine, a few baths, good food and love, he is… our Lars.

Lars has developed into a beautiful boy, with intelligence, spirit and a passion for food and love. He loves to snuggle and is looking for his forever home.

Kayla was born both deaf and blind on a working ranch. The rancher was going to have her destroyed as she would be of no benefit to him. A local shelter heard of the “snowdog” (as she had become commonly referred to as) and agreed to take her in. They were concerned that they did not have the resources to properly care for a deaf and blind dog, so they contacted Best Friends Sanctuary , in Kanab, Utah. Best Friends then contacted Amazing Aussies Lethal White Rescue since they have a working relationship with each other. Kayla needed to take a trip almost clear across the country to get to Amazing Aussies, so the shelter drove for two days to get her to Best Friends and then Amazing Aussies picked her up from there.  

Kayla has been in rescue over a year and is looking for the special “forever home”. She is a special girl and the rescue cannot understand why her family has not come along yet. Kayla is good with everyone she meets, two legged or four legged and her disabilities do not affect her good natured attitude. She would be a special addition to any family…

Amazing Aussies has been a 501(3)(c) non profit organization since May of 2004 but rescued their first “Lethal White” in 1997.  Since 2004 approximately 250 dogs have been rescued locally and they have been involved in another 107 adoptions off of their Coast to Coast web site page.

You can contact Amazing Aussies by email at questions@amazingaussies.com or you can visit their website at www.amazingaussies.com.

Zip was born deaf.  This can be common in cattle dogs and with proper training doesn’t pose any major issues.  Zip’s original owners may not have known how to deal with his birth defect.  We don’t know the entire circumstances, but we were told that he was dragged from a moving car and was severely injured. He was later surrendered to an Animal Emergency Clinic in the Phoenix area.  Just a puppy, Zip had a hard road ahead of him.  His leg never healed properly and he started walking with a limp.  Constantly in pain, Zip was treated with pain medications and the hope that one day he could get a surgery to fix his front leg.

Zip spent the next two years in “foster care” at New Hope Cattle Dog Rescue.  Although many thought he was handsome and inquired about him-his special needs limited the amount of people willing to adopt him.  He had a wonderful foster mom but really needed his own family.  At each adoption event he attended, he was so happy to see new people and perhaps find his forever home.

One day last summer, we came across the New Hope Cattle Dog rescue site and saw that they needed a dog walker. We contacted Zip’s “foster mom” and she suggested that Zip might benefit from outside exercise.  We became Zip’s official dog walkers from then on.  During this time, Zip’s “foster mom” became increasingly ill.  It was time for Zip to find another home.  After a lot of consideration, we filled out the foster application and said that Zip could come and stay with us. 

Zip has wiggled his way into our hearts and family.  Shortly after arriving at our home, NHCD paid for Zip to see a Veterinary Orthopedic Specialist.  This veterinarian felt that Zip would be better off if they amputated his leg.  Zip underwent surgery and made a full recovery. Our charismatic deaf dog was now three-legged. Many people assumed that a front leg amputation would severely limit his abilities but not Zip.  For the first time in his life, Zip was pain free.   It was obvious to my husband and me that this was a definite turning point in his life.  He was feeling better and excited to start doing many of the things he couldn’t do when he had his bad leg.  Zip had so much energy to run and play.  We decided to adopt Zip and make him a permanent member of our family.

Zip has an active life.  He goes for walks in the park, plays with our two other Australian Cattle Dogs, chases our two cats around and even devised creative ways to break into the chicken coop to steal eggs.  He has gotten so good at breaking into the coop for a mid-morning snack that we have had to fortify the fence three times!  

This May, we had a baby and Zip couldn’t be happier.  In the evenings, he will hop up to our daughter and lick her hair, hands, and feet. Zip’s zest for life is quite apparent as he is constantly finding ways to have fun.  Just the other day, I found him eating my basil plant.  Who knew that dogs ate basil!  Zip is also learning sign language. He knows “sit”, “stay”, “down”,” wait”, “leave it”, “off” and “okay”.  They say that learning takes time, but he is so smart and catches on to things quickly.  Although Zip had a rocky start to life, he is definitely making up for lost time.  He has finally found his forever home and we cannot say enough about our little guy.   He is a quirky, fun loving dog.  We can only hope that we are bringing as much joy to his life as he is to ours.

New Hope Cattle Dogs’ mission is helping discarded, stray and unwanted Australian Cattle Dogs/Blue Heelers/Red Heelers/Queensland Heelers (ACD’s) that need a second chance at finding a forever home and providing education and training to the public.  New Hope Cattle Dogs of Arizona was founded in February 2001, since that time close to 700 dogs have been rescued. 

You can reach the New Hope Cattle Dog Rescue by phone at 602-690-8374, by email at shannon@newhopecattledogs.com  or you can visit their website at www.newhopecattledogs.com

The runner ups were “Paws to Consider” (my own suggestion) and “A New Leash on Life” (suggested by Susan Barnes). Unfortunately, both of these titles are already taken. So, after much deliberation, the winning title is…

“Tails of Rescue – A Guide to Choosing the “Not-So-Perfect” Dog That’s Perfect For You.”

Ok, I know the subtitle is kinda long but I think it does a good job of describing what the book is about. If I am messing up the capitalization of words in the title, please let me know! I struggled with that.

Since Susan had the runner up title and one of her suggestions was twisted around to become the actual title, she is the winner of the free book.

Congratulations Susan Barnes (Dog-mom of Simon, the black Pug)!!

Cody came to visit me with his dog-mom, Tiffany. She just loves her baby, Cody and likes to give him lots of kisses!

Racing Home just recently announced their partnership with the Second Chance at Life program. This program places retired Greyhounds into prisons, where they are trained by inmates. It is a chance for the dogs to help bring hope to the humans while they are fostered and trained for life after the track. Racing Home is honored to be the first group in the west to be asked to participate in this wonderful program.

Here’s photo of the dogs with their first group of inmates at the Saguaro Correctional Center:

Racing Home Greyhound Adoption is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, and we are five years old!  To date we have placed about 225 Greyhounds, and we currently have about 30 Greys available for adoption.  We just placed four Greyhounds in prison as part of a program that benefits both the inmates and the Greyounds.   We have earned the reputation for never saying no to a Greyhound in need, and we provide whatever medical care is needed for illness or injury.

You can contact Racing Home Greyhound Adoptions by phone at 602-573-0940, by e-mail at jodybrown54@yahoo.com or you can visit their website at www.racinghome.info.